Team Announcement | Munster A Side Named For Cardiff Clash

The Munster A team to face Cardiff Blues A in the Celtic Cup at the Arms Park on Saturday at 2pm has been named by Head Coach Peter Malone.

Bill Johnston captains the team with 11 Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players included in the squad as Munster A go in search of a fourth win in four Celtic Cup games.

Stephen Fitzgerald starts at full-back with Liam Coombes and Calvin Nash on the flanks. It’s an all-Academy centre pairing as Sean French makes his first start for Munster A alongside inside centre Alex McHenry.

It’s also an all-Academy half-back pairing with scrum-half Jack Stafford teaming up with Johnston.

Three senior players are included in the pack with Dave O’Callaghan, Darren O’Shea and Jeremy Loughman all included.

The front row is made up of Loughman, Young Munster’s Josh Wycherley, who makes his first Munster A start, and Academy hooker Diarmuid Barron, who made his PRO14 debut away to Cardiff last week.

O’Shea partners Sean O’Connor in the engine room with O’Callaghan, Jack Daly and Gavin Coombes in the back row.

Young Munster’s Conor Philips, a former Crescent College Comprehensive player, is in line to make his Munster A debut off the bench.

Munster A: Stephen Fitzgerald; Liam Coombes, Sean French, Alex McHenry, Calvin Nash; Bill Johnston (C), Jack Stafford; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman; Darren O’Shea, Sean O’Connor; Dave O’Callaghan, Jack Daly, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Cronan Gleeson, Keynan Knox, Paddy Kelly, John Hodnett, John Poland, Ben Healy, Conor Philips.

Celtic Cup Round Four

Saturday, September 29

Cardiff Blues A v Munster A, Cardiff Arms Park, 2pm;